Vyvanse-I think I used it wrong

I was on Vyvanse for about 8 years and when I stopped taking it earlier this year, i was at the highest dose of 70mg. The reason I stopped taking it was because I felt it was not giving me the help it used to. At the time I stopped taking it, I was in the midst of trying many different meds for my depression and anxiety. I started seeing a new psychiatrist and she suggested stopping the Vyvanse. So I stopped taking it and a short time after, I even stopped taking my other med for my depression and anxiety. After not being on these meds for about three weeks, I had about the best two and a half months mood wise I have had in a few years. I was very productive, positive and more social. However, I slowly started fading back to my depressed self. I was getting unmotivated and going back to not being interested in things I enjoy doing. I wasn't nearly as bad as I was when I stopped the Vyvanse and Cymbalta but I wasn't feeling good. I was tired all the time and my life would revolve around sleep.

I would still work (I am a driver in Napa Valley so I have regular customers I take to the airport and to wineries. I also do Uber & lyft which is a great job for someone with depression and anxiety because of the flexibility) and do my family duties but when it comes to doing things I enjoy, it seems the joy is lost. I would like to have a better job and contribute more to the household but these moods I get into seem like a big weight on me and I am tired of it.

I am wondering if I was misusing the Vyvanse? I never took more than what was recommended but I would never take a break or holiday. Do you think this was why it stopped working? I would like to hear from others who have experience with taking this med.

On a side note, I used to smoke pot after my day was done to help me sleep but that never helped me get to sleep. I would just be high and stay up late then sleep til like 2pm. As of right now, I am not on anything. I don't drink, smoke pot or take any meds. I tried a six week stint of Lexapro in Aug/Sept but didn't like the side effects and am convinced SSRI's are useless on me. I did a DNA test in 2018 and it pretty much said that SSRI's are not good for me.

I see my psychiatrist on Wednesday and I might suggest Welbutrin but I am so tired of taking meds and them not working. Plus, its the holidays and I don't want to try a new med and have it mess with me and ruin my and my family's xmas.

I know this is long but appreciate all of you taking the time to hear me out. TY

vyvanse works fine you just need to get use to it 'not working'

Hey @Sublimed4

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sublimed4 I was on Vyvanse for about 8 years and when I stopped taking it earlier this year, i was at the highest dose of 70mg. The reason I stopped taking it was because I felt it was not giving me the help it used to.

When you say it wasnt giving you the help it used to what do you mean? Do you mean a return to adhd symptoms? (is your vyvanse for adhd?) Do you mean you didn't "feel" something? Were you still depressed on cymbalta?

Quote:

I am wondering if I was misusing the Vyvanse? I never took more than what was recommended but I would never take a break or holiday. Do you think this was why it stopped working? I would like to hear from others who have experience with taking this med.

Having been on adderall(same class of drugs as vyvanse) for 15 years, I have heard it all when it comes to taking stimulants. There seems to be two sides. Med breaks or no med breaks. Yes, tolerance can become an issue after many years. I have needed two dose increases over 15 years. I had to learn the difference between what its like to be unmedicated and compare it to how I function while taking adderall. This had nothing to do with how I "felt" the adderall or if I could "feel" it working. I had to learn to judge what my actions were off of it and on it. There is no evidence that taking breaks does anything for you. In fact people are always taking breaks to avoid tolerance. So you take a break for a month and suffer- then you resume and for the first week you are buzzing around like a honey bee being super productive and positive. You think"Hey its working again". Then you stop "feeling" those effects and you suddenly think it stopped working. Before you jump to it not working look at your life. Has turned back into a giant cluster F or is it just that you are more realistically productive verses super hero productive? I believe that the super hero part is euphoria and it can be short term or long term but it mostly fades. medication hums along in the backround guiding your actions- not propelling your actions to super hero status.
(as an aside I do have my own bias with vyvanse and do not feel that it is always the most effective depending on what you take it for)
Cymbalta not working is more tricky. Were you a mess before antidepressants and then they pulled you out of the fire for a bit? Did that go on for awhile and then you were plunged back into non-functioning, non-coping status?

When stopping Vyvanse, hyper ADHD comes back and you feel good doing things until you realize that it's not efficient and people are complaining about you so then you get depressed.